With One Look
by Jeudas25031
Summary: With one look into his scared wounded eyes he knew he had to do something, he could no longer stand idly by in the shadows of his uncaring persona. He wanted to rush in and sweep them away from the pain and tormenting treatment. To save the innocence of those eyes. My first story after 8 years of absence, I hope I can get back into it!
1. Chapter 1

_Why are you such a nerd? Why are you do weak? Worthless? Useless?_

John sighed weakly, clutching onto his left arm which stung loudly from the pain of being slammed into another dark green locker. Hovered around him were 3 other large males, their controlling eyes beaming down like predators eyeing injured prey. He let out a shaky breath having a hard time recovering his breath that had just been knocked out of him. Before he could regain himself another brutal punch drove into his gut making him wheeze and double over onto the cold school tile floors. Each of the surrounding boys took a step back one of them harshly muttering "Vwhat a vweakling~!" Another agreed with a crude snicker while the third remained silent, reaching in to pick up John by the front of his favourite white Ghost Busters shirt. Shoving him back into the locker. The slit grooves just above the padlock digging into his back uncomfortably making him instinctively shift in his hold. John's dull ocean blue gaze trailed up settling on the strong toned face of an upperclassmen. The Juniors cracked up black shades making John shiver with unease as the steel blues behind dug daggers into him. The burning vile grins of the two others made him turn his head away from the scene trying desperately to pretend he was anywhere else. In the corner of his eye he could make out the draw back of another strike but a loud call of another halted them in place.

"Yo' what's going on over here?" The voice was smooth and clear, saving like a small flow of water. The three bullies and John looked over, met with the unwavered gaze of a tanned blonde with dark shades resting over his eyes. He continued to walked towards them as his interruption continued. "Having yourselves a party?" He quirked a small tamed brow only really apparent to John when he drew closer. One of the eldest bullys, a slicked haired senior holding a chewed down toothpick in his mouth stood up to heights with the blonde savior.

"Yeah, vwe're just havin' a lil friendly chat vwith our lil friend here so vwhy don't you go off on your merry lil vway and leawve us to it~" His grin was wide like a sleazy alleyway trickster, bringing up his hand in a shooing motion that the blonde had no interest in taking. John gulped feeling the tension rising with each extra moment the stranger stood around, in his mind he screamed at the to go away and not get involved. The last thing he wanted was for another to get the brunt of what he got.

The blonde gave a shrug "I would but I kinda gotta talk to him too, don't worry I can wait right here till you're done talking, or until the dean Maryam comes down this way to look for kids skipping class." He stuffed his hands deep into the pockets of his jet black jeans. Even the mention of Ms. Maryam pull a chill down the ringleaders spin. He glanced reluctantly between the blonde and John hissing a slur of curses under his breath before turning to his two goons.

"Kid aint vworth it, let's bounce." He grumbled, having had his fun get killed. The buff junior released John sending him falling back to the ground at their feet. They left without another word, annoyed grumbles being all that came from their lips their whole way around the corner.

John caught himself shivering in place, his gaze stuck to the grooves and faded designs on the tiles. He could here the others footsteps start to move towards him each closer step causing him to flinch slightly. He knew they'd come back, they always did and it was always worse that the first. He clenched his arm tight, knowing the bruise was already starting to form on his pale flesh. The blonde squatted down gently extending his hand out to John. "Sup, you need help up? Ya kinda look like you got hit by truck, dude." John glanced up at his hand, his own black bangs sticking to his forehead as the stress and tension from the past moment caused drops of sticky sweat to fix them there. He wavered at what to do, a skittish battered kitten backed up against the dented metal locker. He reached up placing his shaking hand into the others as they raised him to his feet. "You can stand right?" He asked supporting John up, of course he nodded not wanting to make the other help him anymore then they already have.

The shaded hero have a slight nod before slowly retrieving his hands, John slumping back to put his support more along the walls. John was quiet unable to put together any words or real thoughts. "Can you talk?" The blonde asked again, his expression was unchanged from its stoic confident poker face but the voice itself was rich with real kindness and hints of concern. Why did he feel concern for him? John was a nobody, a scranny weakly who's only real use was a easy punching bag. John opened his mouth letting out a ragged exhale "y-yes..." was really all he could manage.

"Well that's something. You got a name?" He huffed reaching up to gently scratch the back of his neck. John nodded again trying to piece together the proper way to respond.

"John…" He softly answered, his usual voice reduced to a scared whisper.

The curious highschool knight went to lean on the lockers beside him, "My friends call me Dave, but the ladies call me all the time~ Once I know where you fall we can decide where to go from there" Dave let the faintest of smiles appear over his lips, drawing one out of John with the absurdity of his joke. "Now let's get you out of the halls before class changes and these halls turn into a stampede of hormones and sweat."

John nodded taking Dave's shoulder and heading off to the nearest boys bathroom to attempt to clean up.

 **Hello there! In honor of 4/13 the day we all sold our souls away I decided to get myself back into writing fanfiction. I know it probably won't be great but hey we all gotta start somewhere ^^ Seeya and Happy 4/13 everyone!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm attempting to continue this since a few close friends of mine seem to like it and want more though I don't know whether I will complete it in full! Enjoy!**

David E. Strider was more than the average student at Skaia High School, with a slick cool style and unwavering sense of uncare that the females of the student body found near irresistible. Though Dave never seemed to care what others thought of him, menial things like looks really never gave him much merit, to him it was just the Strider way. His brothers acted and were overall treated the same. But there was one person he ever really cared to impress, one that never even seemed to notice his presence at any given time. A boy of deep ocean blue who didn't swoon in line with the rest. The boy was almost a foot shorter than Dave himself with contradicting night black locks and a sweet pudgy face full of expression and emotion. An angel dressed in a shitty little monsters T or Ghostbusters it was all the same when it was on him. His gaze and thoughts always seemed to linger on the boy, something about the felt like it was pulling Dave in by the throat. He wanted to say something to them, hear their voice directed to him. After some convincing by his hype man/woman Harley he was ready going off down the hall to try and catch the other at his locker. That's when he saw him there, battered and pinned by three larger kids. He felt an irritation and rage start building up, burning and scratching at his throat wanting to peirce into them with crude word. But he couldn't let that happen, he couldn't be the Strider to break the cool kid cycle. So he did the next best thing, so rescue those crystal blues from them.

{ _After the interactions of Chapter 1}_

Dave rested up against the cool sky blue bathroom wall, watching over the door as the sink ran in spurts from the sink. John was gently bent over washing off his face and the small cuts on his arms. When Dave looked over he noticed the last knuckle shaped bruises on their bicep making him cringe abit "So how long has that been happening?" He felt stupid for not noticing it sooner, how could he have not noticed that shit was going down!? John seemed to tence at that question, starting to straighten up, his eyes finally met with Dave's. The steely blue of his gaze seemed to look past Dave's dark shades and into the depths of his mind and soul. Digging into him with their timidity and innocence. John moved his lips to say but nothing seemed to come out but air. "You don't have to tell me. Just a little curious." He gave a shrug his hands fiddling nervously in his pockets.

"A while...around the time of homecoming" His words finally came out. Echoing gently in the empty school bathroom giving them a sad hollow tone. Dave felt his muscles tense and push against his skin, currently getting close to mid-April it was a long time away from when this began making him feel even worse for not noticing sooner. The guilt twirled and ached in his mind as he tried to convince himself there was no way he could've known prior but the feeling was winning. "It's cause one of them didn't like that I got asked to go with the girl he liked...I didn't even end up going because of it. Though if I just didn't go he'd leave me alone...see how well that worked out." He let out a sigh running his palm slowly up his forearm.

Dave frowned feeling more anger try to push out of him, growing harder and harder to contain with every moment he had to watch the shorter male fidget and shift with discomfort. "Which one?" He asked feeling more than obligated to bash thier face in but at the same time recognizing he couldn't.

John scratched the back of his neck gently in a nervous tick as he considered whether or not to even say. "Uh the short one..He's in my grade..pretty sure his name is like...Eridan or something. I know one of the other guys his his older brother Cronus and some jock they probably got to help.." He looked down at the floor still able to feel the sensation of the punch being driven into his gut. His entire torso and arms were sore like he had tried wrestling down a horse. Dave took all that into mind a small frown finding its way across his lips.

"What a fucking chump. Stooping so low cause a girl wouldn't go to a dance with him." He wanted to make a joke out of it but his usual ironic sense of humor has long since left the building. He was angry. At himself, at the dicks who did it, and at the teachers because he knew they would do jackshit about it. "Why don't you come hang with me and my friends today? Keep those dicks from coming at you again." he offered.

John was hesitant and more than confused. "Why are you doing so much for me…?" He probably didn't mean for his question to sound so cold and distant. Though Dave was a little taken by it.

"Well I can't just let you go back off by yourself to get beaten up again, can I?" Dave reached out gently petting John's head. The feeling of the others soft dark locks between his fingers made his heart leap in his chest. "I'm not saying you have to, just offering" He flashed a small smile unable to hold it back any longer as he hesitated to pull his hand away.

The other stood in silence for a moment, but only for a moment as he smiled back. A pure and sweet dorky smile that could light up a room, lucky for Dave he was wearing shades to protect his eyes from that adorable brightness. "O-Okay!"


	3. Chapter 3

John sat down awkwardly at the cafeteria table with Dave. The large lunch hall a roaring with loud voices and laughs of the student body. He hesitated to look up at the three other kids who sat at the table. John could hear Dave's soft chuckle as he pet John's head once more before taking a seat beside him. John's nervous gaze slowly trailed up met with the excited green glow of a young girl's eyes gently lensed by circular specks. Her cute bucked toothed grin took little time in raising John's spirits and overall tension. "Hi!" She cheerfully mused the sweet grin on her chubby freckled cheeks somehow growing kinder.

John gulped down the remaining drops of nerve before giving his own dorky smile in return "Uh hi there! My names John! I hope you don't mind if I eat with you today..?" He tugged at the ends of his shirt as he spoke, trying to steady himself as well as fix himself up.

"You don't need to be nervous, John. We don't bite." A smooth gentle voice spoke calmly from beside the first girl. The seemingly soft lavender eyes of a short haired blonde grazed over John curiously, a kind but teasing smile painted over her dark black lips. "Except for Kanaya who only bites a little~" She added with a small chuckle under her breath. "My name is Rose. I see you've already become acquainted with are designated Strider" She gave a small gesture to Dave who had already busted out a bottle of apple juice from god knows where, and was already halfway through his massive gulp. He gave a thumbs up, acknowledging Rose's introduction. She then gestured to the green eyed girl who continued to bounce with excitement. "This is Jade Harley, I'm fairly sure she won't bite you at the most you might just be suffocated by her strangling embraces," As Rose gave her introduction Jade pouted ever so slightly.

"I would never bite him!" She crossed her arms firmly over her chest, the small silver charm bracelet jingling softly, decorated with little puppy charms like pawprints, bones, and chibi puppy faces.

Rose seemed to ignore Jade's objections, moving her hand to rest over the delicate hand of another girl with short elegantly styled black locks. Lips pursed with a soft motherly type of smile that even when dark painted aired a breath of pureness. She wore a lovely black button up blouse with an M like symbol skillfully embroidered onto the chest, as well as a long tucked and slit red skirt that reached all the way down to her ankles. She gently squeezed roses hand waiting for her introduction. "And last but not least this is Kanaya~" The way Rose said Kanaya's name seemed to have an uplifted hum to it, almost spoken in a lyrical way. The two gazed at each other for some time making John more curious over what their relationship was.

"It's really nice to meet you guys" John finally broke the silence, bringing his arms up to rest the on the cold surface of the table. Rose and Kanaya only seemed to nod in agreement entranced on each others faces and eyes. Jade seemed to be the only one to reply.

"You too John! So how do you know Dave? You guys in the same class?" She grinned, leaning in, eager to know the story. John felt all the tension rush back to him, not wanting his first encounter with new friends to be his little sob story.

Luckily Dave decided then to cut in with his smooth recovery. "We got a few of the same classes and I decided to invite him to sit with us since A he looked kinda bummed out and B cause I'm getting a little outnumbered here." He gently gestured to the three ladies.

Jade giggled taking the answer without a second thought "Awww but I thought you liked sitting with us!" he sunshine smile was unwavering and unphased. John let out a weak sigh of relief turning to look up at Dave as he began to actually consider whether or not he and Dave actually did have any classes together. As he pondered he vaguely recollected seeing those shades here and there, usually somewhere in the back of the class where he had no clear vision. He himself usually sitting near the front because of his eyesight. When John finally rejoined the conversation the topic had completely changed into something about...puppets and sick nasty rhymes, he's just gonna duck back out and get his lunch.

Halfway into his turkey sandwich is when Dave finally pulled John back to the conscious plain. "Isn't that right John?" He asked. Damn maybe he should've been paying a little more attention. He didn't know how to answer so as to not look a fool he gave a small nod sending Dave back into the tizzy with Rose. "See! John gets it! Puppets are cool, rap is cool, and there for lil cal is the fuckin shit." He crossed his arms "Case closed Lalonde. Case closed."

Rose only seemed to give a soft chuckle at Dave's argument rolling her eyes and turning back to Kanaya to continue whatever discussion they were having before John sat down. "You see the kinda torment I'm under John?" Dave hummed setting his now empty bottle of AJ to the side. John couldn't help but give the smallest light hearted chuckle which Dave couldn't help but question "Come on dude you're not turning on me too are you?" He faked hurt.

"Don't worry Dave i think your bros dolls are cool!" Jade mused from across the table as she peeled apart a bright ripe orange.

"They aren't dolls Harley! They are rhyme spitting puppets and they are cool." Dave huffed getting another giggle out of the energetic brunette. John was really enjoying the dynamic of Dave and his friends never really having had friends of his own to sit with, usually taking to eating out in the courtyard or at a secluded table in the corner of the lunch room. He liked this so much more.

John ended up asking later on if he could sit with them again and of course, they all happily welcomed him with open arms.


	4. Chapter 4

**I've really been enjoying writing this so far and the little reviews I've gotten definitely mean alot to me! I'm glad at least 1 or 2 people like what I'm writing so I hope you enjoy! -^^**

After lunch there were only two more class periods. Dave smiled as once he entered sixth period with John the blue eyed boy seemed to be elated with the fact that they shared a class. It only bothered Dave a little bit that it had taken them this long to realize this fact but seeing their overjoyed smile made it all worth it. They ended up taking seats together near the far right side of the room chatting it up mostly about interests. Dave even honing up to lay down some improvised rhymes for John who giggled and snorted in delight. With every laugh and sly comment from John, Dave felt his heart race even more. He loved the dorky boys bucked toothed smile and precious chuckles. As class progressed however the chatting faded into small comments about random bits of the lesson, each one having its own new way of adding to Johns punny sense of humor.

 _He was such a dork._ And Dave couldn't get enough of it.

Eventually the bell rang for seventh and Dave was faced with the cruel sense that this was where they'd part ways till he went searching for them after school. He instantly began to worry one of the larger guys would get to John again if he wasn't with him. The worry consumed him so much he had taken to walking John all the way to his next class just to be sure they didn't get jumped in the hallway. When he finally reached the room and waved off John he began slowly trailing in the direction of his next class lingering long after the bell had rung. The ringing caused his heart to quiver and tense with nerve and uncertainty and Dave in the end ended up hiding himself into one of the bathrooms on the second floor to wait till the end of school. Not like it really mattered if he went to his last class it was an elective anyway and the teacher rarely if ever took proper attendance. He paced around on the tile stopping to look fly in front of the mirror whenever another student would enter to use the restroom.

A solid 20 minutes into his secluded mute freak out his phone went off in his pocket as he pulled it out he noticed pesterchum was active and he had a message from Rose. Honestly he wasn't feeling up for chatting with her where she would likely tease and prod at his mind over lunch but he honestly needed something to distract him from his worries. He signed into his phone and opened up the pesterchum application to be met with Rose's lavender coloured font.

TT: You're freaking out in the bathroom aren't you?

TG: of course not just being a good student and getting educated

TG: why are you one your phone anyway?

TT: Just letting you know that I have this class with John.

TG: that's cool

TG: why you telling me this?

TT: Because I know you're off somewhere worried about him.

TG: why would i be worried?

TT: John told me about what happened.

TG: oh

TG: and im guessing youve already psychoanalyzed the situation?

TT: Of course.

TT: We'll meet you in the usual place after school, make sure to pick up Jade on your way there.

TG: you got it captain

Well that was a load off his mind. Dave couldn't help but release a deep sigh of relief to know that Rose was in the loop and looking out for John. He begins to ponder if anyone had second and third with him. He suddenly feels he's being abit too obsessive about all this. At the end of the day John was a new friend and more or less still abit of a stranger. He checked the time on his phone before settling in for the long haul to the bell.

 **I know this chapters a little short but I'm trying to break each chapter up into scenes that way I don't start running out of steam on the idea too fast! I'll probably end up making the next chapter longer to show the interactions between John and Rose and then the one between Dave and Jade. Maybe even get some Kanaya in there somewhere. If you have any ideas I would be more that happy to hear and likely add them into the story! So please leave em in the reviews or pm me if you'd like to keep it more private. Thank you for reading! -^^**


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